Company President Rick Schildgen said Print Plus uses various applications to develop creative and interactive promotions for clients.

Today’s marketing plan needs to include a variety of different media formats. “It is also important to integrate these approaches,” Schildgen said. “This means that your printed message will direct the reader online to a landing page, then encourage them to download an informative report or watch a video. You also look to have your audience participate within a variety of social media sites.”

Schildgen said Print Plus highlights many of the cross-media services the company can provide for its clients. “Whereas many printing companies still put ink on paper, C L Graphics has embraced a number of new technologies, such as e-publications that can include audio and video, QR codes, websites and social media,” he said.

C L Graphics, which employs 16 people, has been in business for 32 years. Its clients include nonprofits, associations, municipal governments, libraries and the health-care industry.

Schildgen was named Printer of the Year in 2012 by the NAQP/NAPL (national trade associations), and has served on several trade association boards. He is past president of the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce and Chamber Ambassadors, and is the current board chairman of the McHenry County Community Foundation.

C L Graphics has created a promotional piece is entitled “Print Plus…a journey.”

“Developing the Print Plus promotion was a fun challenge,” Schildgen said. “It took a tremendous amount of initial conception, planning and development – both for the print component and the digital applications. We wanted to be sure and include a number of creative production techniques and to also push ourselves in learning new applications,” Schildgen said.

Schildgen said another important part of the marketing campaign is to host a series of lunch-and-learn seminars starting in August for different market segments.

“Ultimately our goal was not just to create a pretty piece, but rather to help show how an organization can integrate a number of media formats within their marketing plan – in a consistent and interactive manner,” he said.

“Marketing has changed dramatically over the past decade, and while this can be somewhat overwhelming, it is also very exciting,’ he said. “We believe Print Plus will be a great tool for us to show people how they can market themselves in today’s environment, and at the same time help differentiate ourselves from the competition.”